A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

832 LUCULLUS. LUCULLUS
retaliation was looked upon with much favour at his brother, forborne to sue for this office until
Rome; and although the trial, after giving rise to Marcus was of sufficient age to hold it with him.
scenes of violence and even bloodshed, at length The games exhibited by the two brothers were
terminated in the acquittal of Servilius, the part distinguished for their magnificence, and were renwhich the young Lucullus had taken in the matter dered remarkable by the introduction, for the first
appears to have added greatly to his credit and time, of elephants combating with bulls. (Plut.
reputation. (Plut. Lucull. 1; Cic. Acad. pr. ii. 1.) Lucull. 1; Cic. Acad. pr. ii. I; de 0,f: ii. 16;
While yet quite a young man, he served with Plin. H. N. viii. 7.) So great was the favour at
distinction in the Marsic or Social War; and at this time enjoyed by Lucullus with Sulla, that the
this time attracted the attention of Sulla, whom dictator, on his death-bed, not only confided to him
he afterwards accompanied as his quaestor into the charge of revising and correcting his CommentaGreece and Asia on the breaking out of the Mithri- ries - a task for which the literary attainments of
datic war, B. C. 88. During the prolonged siege of Lucullus especially qualified him; but appointed
Athens, Sulla found himself labouring under the him guardian of his son Faustus, to the exclusion
greatest disadvantage from the want of a fleet, and of Pompey, a circumstance which is said to have
he in consequence despatched Lucullus in the first given rise to the enmity and jealousy that
middle of winter (B. c. 87-86), with a squadron ever after subsisted between the two. (PIut. Luof only six ships, to endeavour to collect assistance cull. i. 4.) By a special law of Sulla, he was
from the allies of Rome. With considerable diffi- enabled to hold the praetorship immediately after
culty he raised' a fleet, and expelled the forces of the office of aedile, probably in the year 77. At:
the king from Chios and Colophon. These opera- the expiration of this magistracy he repaired to
tions extended far on into the summer of 85: Africa, where he distinguished himself by tile
meanwhile, Fimbria, who had assumed the com- justice of his administration, and returned from
mand of the army in Asia, which had been sent thence to Rome, to sue for the consulship, which
out by the Marian party at Rome, had expelled he obtained, in conjunction with M. Aurelius
Mithridates from Pergamus, and was besieging Cotta, for the year 74. (Cic. Acad. pr. ii. 1; Aur.
him in Pitane, where he had taken refuge. Had Vict. de Vir. Illust. 74; Plut. Lucull. 5; Fast.
Lucullus co-operated with him by sea, the king Capit. an. 679.)
himself must have fallen into their hands, and the war Of the political conduct of Lucullus during his
would have been terminated at once: but Lucullus consulship almost the only circumstance recorded
was faithful to the party interests of Sulla rather to us is the determined and effectual opposition
than to those of Rome: he refused to come with offered by him to the attempts of L. Quinctius to
his fleet to the support of Fimbria, and Mithridates overthrow the constitutional laws of Sulla. (Plut.
made his escape by sea to Mytilene. Shortly Lucull. 5; Sail. Hist. iii. f'agm. 22, p. 234, ed.
afterwards Lucullus defeated the hostile fleet under Gerlach.)
Neoptolemus off the island of Tenedos; and thus But the eyes of all at Rome were now turned
made himself master of the Hellespont, where he towards the East, where it was evident that a
rejoined Sulla, and facilitated his passage into Asia renewal of the contest with Mithridates was bethe following spring, B. c. 84. (Plut. Lucull. 2- come inevitable: and the command in this impend4, Sall. 11; Appian, Mitkr. 33, 51, 52, 56, Oros. ing war was the darling object of the ambition of
Yi. 2.) Lucullus. At first indeed fortune did not seem to
Peace with Mithridates followed shortly after, befriend him: in the division of the- provinces,
and Sulla'hastened to return to Rome. It was a Bithynia (which had been lately united to'the'
fortunate circumstance for Lucullus that he did not Roman dominions after the death of Nicomedes
accompany his leader at this.time, being left behind III., and which was evidently destined to be the
in the charge of various public duties in Asia, by first point assailed-by Mithridates), fell to the lot
which means he escaped all participation in the of Cotta, while Lucullus obtained only' Cisalpine
scenes of horror that ensued, at the same time that Gaul for his province. But just at this juncture
he retained the high place he already enjoyed in Octavius, the proconsul of Cilicia, died; and Luthe favour of the all-powerful Sulla. Nor do we cullus, by dint of intrigues, succeeded in obtaining
find that he took any part in the aggressions of the appointment as his successor, to which the conMurena, and the renewed war against Mithridates. duct of the war against Mithridates was then
[MIuRENA.] During the whole time that he con- added by general consent. Cotta, however, still
tinued in Asia he appears to have been occupied retained the government of Bithynia, and the comwith civil and pacific employments, especially with mand of the naval force. (Plut. Lucull. 5, 6;
the coining of money, and the exaction of the heavy Memnon. c. 37, ed. Orell.; Cic. pro Muren. 15;
sums imposed by Sulla upon the Asiatic cities as a Eutrop. vi. 6.)
penalty for their late revolt.' In the discharge of Both consuls now hastened to Asia, where they
this- last duty he displayed the utmost kindness arrived before the close of the year 74. Lucullus
and liberality, and endeavoured to render the bur- took with him only one legion from Italy; but he
then as little onerous as possible; at the same time found four others in Asia, two of which, however,
that the promptitude and vigour with which' he had formed part of the army of Fimbria; and
punished the revolt of the Mytilenaeans showed though brave and hardy veterans, had been accusthat he was fully prepared to put down all open tomed to licence and rapine, and were ever prone
resistance. (Plut. Lucull. 4; Cic. Acad. pr. i. 1.) to sedition. Hence the first business of the new
Lucullus remained in Asia apparently till near general was to restore the discipline of his own
the close of the year 80, when he returned to Rome army, a task which he appears to have for a time~
to discharge the office for the following year of easily accomplished; and he now took the field
curule aedile, to which he had been elected in his with a force of 30,000 infantry, and 2500 horse.
absence, together with his younger brother Marcus. (Plut. Lucull. 7, 8; Appian, Mithr. 72.) But
According to Plutarch, he had, from affection for almost before he was ready to commence operations,